A Frank & Earnest Diary of a solitary woman documenting her stuggle to maintain a degree of sanity & order in her life while growing old and older in a kaotic seemingly OUT OF BALANCE world. Always a loner but never alone, reclusive by choice but living life of late vicariously through the mysteries & wonders of the world-wide-web, - Onward & Outward bound she ventures daily, pajama-clad into its "meanstreets & crowded highways," --and she IS NOT afraid!

Rock On

A Little Bit About Me'Self

Lifetime Student in school of Hard Knocks.Born in Troy NY home of UncleSam,FALLOUT Capital of the Nation(google"The Troy Incident")other places I called home; Tucson & Bullhead City, Az., Seattle,Wa.,Taos,Ojo Caliente &Santa Fe,NM, LasVegas,Searchlight,Goodsprings,Jean,& Laughlin,NV.,San Francisco, Ca.,Portland,Or.,just 2 name a few. Places I have worked are bars, horse & dog tracks and casinos, and, later in life,law firms & with lawyers. Now in retirement,I stay home & mind my little mini-farm. In my spare time I pretty much live vicariously through the wonders of the www. I guess you could say (ala Eddie Rabitt) that I am - bloggin my life away,....lookin for & workin towards a better day, ohhh yeah. But however you look at it, there aint no gettin' around it, I'm jus' an ole' x-hippy-chick, struggling ever "onward through the fog" of life,....still here, still standin,..still laughing, after all these crazy years, and whats more amazing yet, still with at least some functioning brain cells!(Though through absolutely no fault of my own. Thank U geezis or whatever powers that be!)

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Once again, it pays to be a kind kid. During American Humane’s 95th annual celebration of Be Kind to Animals Week®, May 3-9, 2009, we will recognize young humanitarians whose work exemplifies humane principles and extraordinary compassion for animals. Grand prize winners will receive $1,000 and runners up will receive $500!

We are looking for kids between the ages of 6 and 17 whose love for and dedication to animals deserves national recognition. Past winners have included dedicated animal shelter volunteers, young entrepreneurs who help animals with their proceeds, and kids who educate others about respect for animals. If this sounds like a kid you know, please nominate him or her by April 15. Visit www.americanhumane.org/bkaw for more information.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Squirtle, rescued as a foal by sanctuary founder Sue Stiles, was only 8 years old.

By KAREN VELIE

A husband and wife team of internationally known environmentalists, paid handsomely to oversee a San Luis Obispo County sanctuary for infirm animals, has ordered the accelerating slaughter of many of their wards.

Former and present employees of the Dancing Star Foundation claim that its top officers, Michael Tobias and Jane Gray Morrison, intend to focus on endangered animals. They say the pair has commenced the systematic elimination of aged and infirm farm animals under the foundation’s care, contrary to the foundation's purpose.

According to the foundation’s 2007 IRS Form 990 filed Oct. 6, 2008, the group had more than $43 million in assets. Tobias, as president, receives a yearly salary of $285,500; Vice President Morrison, $244,000; and Vice President of Finance Don Cannon, $240,000.

The foundation was created by Sue Stiles in 1993 with a focus on providing a refuge for elderly and handicapped farm animals. She opened one sanctuary in Paso Robles for burros, and another in Cayucos which hosts horses, cows, dogs, burros, pigs, and a goat. In January, more than 200 animals were cared for at the Cayucos sanctuary, situated south of Harmony on 700 rolling acres along U.S. Highway 1. A herd of burros wandering among the oak trees is often visible from the highway below.

“Stiles took care of animals in dire need,” said Kathy Duncan, a Morro Bay resident who took her 27-year-old horse to live out its days at Dancing Star. “Sue knew all the animals by name. She asked me to visit when I could, bring carrots, and pet the animals.”

Dying of cancer, Stiles choose Tobias to preside over her non-profit foundation. Tobias is a world traveler and author of 35 books and numerous documentaries focusing on environmental history and animal rights. In 1996, Tobias received the “Courage of Conscience Award” for his commitment to animals. His wife and vice president of the foundation, Morrison, is an ecologist and filmmaker.

The IRS statement claims the foundation spent $2,552,939 on the animal sanctuary in Paso Robles. However, the summary of charitable activities does not mention the Cayucos sanctuary.

“Tobias is stating that the foundation does not have the funds to support these animals that Sue had taken under her wing,” an employee said. “He and his wife have ordered the mass killing of horses, burros, and cows. Originally, it was 20 animals. Then it was five cows and five horses or burros every week until we reached 50 animals. We are nearing that number. Now, there is a new list. We feel this will continue. We also feel their intentions are to close the sanctuary.”

The first round of animals “were stacked like cord wood, until they were bloated, before they were hauled away,” an employee said.

Dancing Star managers informed veterinarian Gary Evans and numerous employees that adopted animals will reduce the numbers slated for execution. Officials claim they investigate possible adoptive families before releasing the animals. Employees state that animals are handed over to anyone with a trailer.

“Employees and friends in utter desperation are allowed to adopt these animals without any paperwork or inspection of the living conditions of where these animals are going,” an employee said. “These employees are making $9 an hour. They can barely feed themselves. It is total chaos.”

Next week, five cows are slated to be killed on Monday, and five horses are on the list for Thursday. The next wave, reported to be 30 animals, is supposed to drag out over a few months.

“Because of the economy, they say they can’t afford to feed the animals and provide medications,” ex-employee Sheldon Rowley said. “Then others say it is quality of life. Now these animals have to look perfectly healthy or they are dust.”

Two local veterinarians have been hired to perform euthanasia. Both horse veterinarian Tristen Weltner and cattle veterinarian Gary Evans assert that all the animals that have been put down have had health problems, though both have also noticed a change in the treatment of animals at the sanctuary during the last month.

“I was told they were out of money,” Evans said. “Sue Stiles would not approve of the way things are being done. Her whole deal was rescuing animals. There were a number of animals born and raised there.”

Both Evans and numerous employees noted that while foundation officials are firing staff and eliminating animals, they are spending funds on the construction of new barns and upgrading existing facilities.

“They built a new barn for $120,000 then killed the animals in the barn below,” Rowley added. “They are building shelters with no limits. However, they are putting down the animals with health problems and the older ones. You can see were the money is going.”

Sources claim the last round of killings included a group of viable animals.

Carmel was a wild horse and as such required the use of a squeeze (a cage that tightens around an animal’s body) to put her down. Carmel fought and fell in the squeeze, her legs caught in the bars. Her eyes were wide and wild with fear. The vet tried to inject enough drugs to drop the winter-coated mare, but Carmel continued to fight and only part of the killing drugs could be administrated on the first try. During Carmel’s long and painful death, employees stood by weeping.

An 8-year-old paint, Grace, was on and off lame due to a leg deformity. The spirited mare ran back and forth while her barn mates were slaughtered, unaware of the fate she faced. She loved to play and appeared not to be in pain.

Grace didn’t fight as her caregivers stroked her neck to distract her from the prick of the veterinarian’s deadly needle. She fell to the ground amidst the tears of Dancing Star employees.

Both Grace and Amigo, a gelding his caregivers said “was full of life and not ready to go yet,” received a shot of poison through a vein in their necks during the last round of animal eliminations.

“I think they are trying to close the sanctuary,” an employee said. “They are killing healthy animals. It is a sanctuary; all the animals have some problem. We signed on for an animal sanctuary, not a cowboy slaughter ranch. We love the animals; they don’t care.”

When the soft-spoken Tobias took over after Stiles’ death, he promptly banned volunteers and fired all employees hired by the sanctuary’s founder, an employee added. New employees sign an agreement they won’t tell anyone anything about the sanctuary, including that they work there.

“We signed disclosures that we can’t talk to the press,” an employee said. “They can fire without cause. We know we are going to lose our jobs. Two ladies were pushed out for going on maternity leave. Jerry (Smith, sanctuary manager) wants to shoot all the animals. They want us to go away so they can do what they want to.”

During the past month, as Dancing Star officials exterminated animals, they also initiated the staged firing of employees. Smith laid off four caregivers last weekend, bringing the total of dismissed employees to more than 14.

“These questions have nothing to do with you,” Dancing Star manager Smith said when asked by a Cal Coast News reporter why sanctuary officials are systematically killing off their charges and firing employees. “This doesn’t concern you. It is none of your business.”

President Tobias, vice president Morrison, and vice president of finance Don Cannon did not return requests for comment.

Sources claim that after receiving an inheritance of more than $60 million, Stiles chose to dive into philanthropy with a focus on providing a safe haven for aged and infirm farm animals.

“She told me she had inherited money from her aunt who was one of the owners of the [McClatchy] Bee newspapers,” Duncan added. “Sue thought the need was a sanctuary for farm animals. She had a board of directors who were supposed to keep the sanctuary running. This is not what she would have wanted.”

“The foundation mission is to promote and safeguard the earth’s biodiversity, including respect for and the protection of animals. The foundation provides aged, disabled, infirm, or unwanted animals with food, shelter, and veterinary care,” according to the foundation’s 990 form.

Jane Goodall wrote in a preface to Tobias’ book, World War III, “I hope that those reading this book will join Tobias on the path toward the more sustainable and compassionate future, trying to live again as we once did, in harmony with nature, and no longer at war.”

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"The fate of animals is of greater importance to methan the fear of appearing ridiculous; it is indissolubly connected with the fate of men."- Emile Zola (1840-1902)

Thursday, February 19, 2009

One of our newest rescues, Paco, a standard size spotted ass. Gee, I have always wanted a spotted ass! Paco has never been abused, just neglected and underweight,....he hasnt got a mean bone in his body. A real sweetheart. Nobody dosent like Paco.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Citigroup is right to honor the $400 million contract for naming rights of the new Mets stadium even if the bank is receiving billions of bailout money.

That does not mean the bank has to stick with the name Citi Field.

One righteous alternative that comes to mind is Taxpayer Field.

Better yet, make a random pick of one individual out of the millions of beleaguered taxpayers chipping in to bail out Citigroup and all the other bungling financial institutions.

You could just extend an index finger to make a closed-eye choice from the phone book, but that could produce an Obama appointee.

The lottery is a better model, though any choice would still need vetting, and by folks more astute than those who served our new President so poorly.

Once approved, the lucky taxpayer would see his or her name go up on the new stadium in time for the April opening.

Whoever it is, Citigroup would acquire something its own name could never generate amidst the current crisis, something as rare as a clean balance sheet for a big financial institution these days.

This rare something is goodwill.

Citigroup could even present it as a way of saying two words no bailed-out bank has uttered:

"Thank you."

Of course, a thank you and a goodwill gesture do not begin to excuse the recklessness of the top executives who led Citigroup to near ruin.

Instead of those subslimes, we should think of the thousands of lower-ranking employees.

Even with the huge lay-offs, the bank continues to employ thousands of decent, hardworking and blameless souls who have families to support.

And, as galling as it is to fork over hard-earned tax billions to save a bank from the consequences of its own greed, the fact remains that Citigroup's profits and payroll were a big source of tax revenues in recent years.

Indeed, all the big financial institutions have poured tax money into the city's coffers, sums that kept us in relatively good fiscal shape.

The budget cuts that loom because of the collapse are a measure of how much we need Wall Street to prosper.

I keep thinking of the Bronx hardware store owner who cheered when the rich lost their shirts in the stock market crash of 1929 only to lose his business in the ensuing Depression.

The present crisis should make all the more clear the need for the city to diversify and become less dependent on the financial industry.

In this regard, we might look to Pittsburgh, which was even more dependent on big steel than we are on Wall Street.

Once all but a ghost town, Pittsburgh is a winner in many more ways than its football team.

As The New York Times has noted, salaries and property values there are actually on the upswing. Unemployment is 5% there, while hitting 8% here.

Part of the secret is investing in higher education and technology research, which spurs the entrepreneurship that is the start of new wealth.

And nobody is richer than New York in new scientific and technical talent.

Just consider this year's finalists in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search for high school students. Only 16 states had any at all. All of Pennsylvania had one. Massachusetts with its great tradition of education had one. California, home of Silicon Valley, had five.

We had nine.

Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan had two, more than all but nine entire states. Anissa Yuenming Mak's project was called "A Certifying Algorithm for the Modular Decomposition of Undirected Graphs." Classmate Adam Benjamin Sealfon was chosen for "Complexity Gap Between Adaptive and Nonadaptive Algorithms for Property Testing of Hypergraphs."

Too many of these young stars end up in labs in other states. The trick is to make NYU and Columbia the places for a Mak or Sealfon to be.

Meanwhile, we should all hope that Wall Street somehow bounces back. Citigroup could at least earn a little goodwill by naming the field in honor of those hardworking, honest souls who came to its rescue.

CODY, Wyo. - A man has been cited for public intoxication while riding a white horse during a snowstorm in the northern Wyoming town of Cody.

Police say they cited 28-year-old Benjamin Daniels after they received a call Sunday afternoon from a motorist concerned that a man was creating a road hazard by riding his horse on a street in conditions with poor visibility.

Cody Assistant Police Chief George Menig says officers noticed Daniels was intoxicated after they stopped him to explain that drivers were having difficulty spotting his slow-moving white horse.

Menig said Thursday that Daniels was detained Sunday and released the following day. He will go before a municipal judge later.